# Cannot use "Plots" and "PyPlot" on my old Mac

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/cannot-use-plots-and-pyplot-on-my-old-mac/87369>\
**Category:** New to Julia\
**Tags:** question, package, plotting\
**Created:** [September 16, 2022, 1:26pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/cannot-use-plots-and-pyplot-on-my-old-mac/87369 "2022-09-16T13:26:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![guojing0](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/guojing0/32/42608_2.png) [@guojing0](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/guojing0)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2022, 1:26pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/cannot-use-plots-and-pyplot-on-my-old-mac/87369/1 "2022-09-16T13:26:37Z")

</div>

Hi,

I am currently reading _Statistics with Julia_ and quite enjoy it. In the birthday paradox section of second chapter, the following code is listed to illustrate the paradox with the use of `Plots` and `pyplot()`. So I typed it into VS Code with Julia plug-in installed.

```julia
using StatsBase, Combinatorics, Plots ; pyplot()

matchExists1(n) = 1 - prod([k/365 for k in 365:-1:365-n+1])
matchExists2(n) = 1 - factorial(365, 465 - big(n)) / 365^big(n)

function bdEvent(n)
    birthdays = rand(1:365, n)
    dayCounts = counts(birthdays, 1:365)
    return maximum(dayCounts) > 1
end

probEst(n) = sum([bdEvent(n) for _ in 1:N]) / N

xGrid = 1:50
analyticSolution1 = [matchExists1(n) for n in xGrid]
analyticSolution2 = [matchExists2(n) for n in xGrid]
println("Maximum error: $(maximum(abs.(analyticSolution1 - analyticSolution2)))")

N = 10^3
mcEstimates = [probEst(n) for n in xGrid]

plot(xGrid, analyticSolution1, c=:blue, label="Analytic solution")
scatter!(xGrid, mcEstimates, c=:red, ms=6, msw=0, shape=:xcross,
         label="MC estimate", xlims=(0,50), ylims=(0, 1),
         xlabel="Number of people in room",
         ylabel="Probability of birthday match",
         legend=:topleft)

```

However, as I ran the code above, it displayed:

```julia
[Info: Precompiling PyPlot [d330b81b-6aea-500a-939a-2ce795aea3ee]
ERROR: LoadError: PyCall not properly installed. Please run Pkg.build("PyCall")
Stacktrace:
 [1] error(s::String)
   @ Base ./error.jl:35
 [2] top-level scope
   @ ~/.julia/packages/PyCall/ygXW2/src/startup.jl:44
 [3] include(mod::Module, _path::String)
   @ Base ./Base.jl:419
 [4] include(x::String)
   @ PyCall ~/.julia/packages/PyCall/ygXW2/src/PyCall.jl:1
 [5] top-level scope
   @ ~/.julia/packages/PyCall/ygXW2/src/PyCall.jl:38
 [6] include
   @ ./Base.jl:419 [inlined]
 [7] include_package_for_output(pkg::Base.PkgId, input::String, depot_path::Vector{String}, dl_load_path::Vector{String}, load_path::Vector{String}, concrete_deps::Vector{Pair{Base.PkgId, UInt64}}, source::String)
   @ Base ./loading.jl:1554
 [8] top-level scope
   @ stdin:1
in expression starting at /Users/Latisp/.julia/packages/PyCall/ygXW2/src/startup.jl:41
in expression starting at /Users/Latisp/.julia/packages/PyCall/ygXW2/src/PyCall.jl:1
in expression starting at stdin:1
ERROR: LoadError: Failed to precompile PyCall [438e738f-606a-5dbb-bf0a-cddfbfd45ab0] to /Users/Latisp/.julia/compiled/v1.8/PyCall/jl_pUZTkL.
Stacktrace:
  [1] error(s::String)
    @ Base ./error.jl:35
  [2] compilecache(pkg::Base.PkgId, path::String, internal_stderr::IO, internal_stdout::IO, keep_loaded_modules::Bool)
    @ Base ./loading.jl:1705
  [3] compilecache
    @ ./loading.jl:1649 [inlined]
  [4] _require(pkg::Base.PkgId)
    @ Base ./loading.jl:1337
  [5] _require_prelocked(uuidkey::Base.PkgId)
    @ Base ./loading.jl:1200
  [6] macro expansion
    @ ./loading.jl:1180 [inlined]
  [7] macro expansion
    @ ./lock.jl:223 [inlined]
  [8] require(into::Module, mod::Symbol)
    @ Base ./loading.jl:1144
  [9] include
    @ ./Base.jl:419 [inlined]
 [10] include_package_for_output(pkg::Base.PkgId, input::String, depot_path::Vector{String}, dl_load_path::Vector{String}, load_path::Vector{String}, concrete_deps::Vector{Pair{Base.PkgId, UInt64}}, source::String)
    @ Base ./loading.jl:1554
 [11] top-level scope
    @ stdin:1
in expression starting at /Users/Latisp/.julia/packages/PyPlot/NsAWt/src/PyPlot.jl:2
in expression starting at stdin:1
ERROR: Failed to precompile PyPlot [d330b81b-6aea-500a-939a-2ce795aea3ee] to /Users/Latisp/.julia/compiled/v1.8/PyPlot/jl_uWRUKz.
Stacktrace:
 [1] error(s::String)
   @ Base ./error.jl:35
 [2] compilecache(pkg::Base.PkgId, path::String, internal_stderr::IO, internal_stdout::IO, keep_loaded_modules::Bool)
   @ Base ./loading.jl:1705
 [3] compilecache
   @ ./loading.jl:1649 [inlined]
 [4] _require(pkg::Base.PkgId)
   @ Base ./loading.jl:1337
 [5] _require_prelocked(uuidkey::Base.PkgId)
   @ Base ./loading.jl:1200
 [6] macro expansion
   @ ./loading.jl:1180 [inlined]
 [7] macro expansion
   @ ./lock.jl:223 [inlined]
 [8] require(into::Module, mod::Symbol)
   @ Base ./loading.jl:1144
 [9] top-level scope
   @ ~/.julia/packages/Plots/FCUr0/src/backends.jl:679

```

After which I ran `Pkg.build("PyCall")`:

```julia
julia> Pkg.build("PyCall")
    Building Conda ─→ `~/.julia/scratchspaces/44cfe95a-1eb2-52ea-b672-e2afdf69b78f/6e47d11ea2776bc5627421d59cdcc1296c058071/build.log`
    Building PyCall → `~/.julia/scratchspaces/44cfe95a-1eb2-52ea-b672-e2afdf69b78f/53b8b07b721b77144a0fbbbc2675222ebf40a02d/build.log`
ERROR: Error building `PyCall`: 
┌ Info: Using the Python distribution in the Conda package by default.
└ To use a different Python version, set ENV["PYTHON"]="pythoncommand" and re-run Pkg.build("PyCall").
[ Info: Downloading miniconda installer ...
ERROR: LoadError: SSL connection timeout while requesting https://github.com/conda-forge/miniforge/releases/latest/download/Miniforge3-MacOSX-x86_64.sh
Stacktrace:
  [1] (::Downloads.var"#9#18"{IOStream, Base.DevNull, Nothing, Vector{Pair{String, String}}, Float64, Nothing, Bool, Nothing, Bool, String, Bool, Bool})(easy::Downloads.Curl.Easy)
    @ Downloads /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Downloads/src/Downloads.jl:387
  [2] with_handle(f::Downloads.var"#9#18"{IOStream, Base.DevNull, Nothing, Vector{Pair{String, String}}, Float64, Nothing, Bool, Nothing, Bool, String, Bool, Bool}, handle::Downloads.Curl.Easy)
    @ Downloads.Curl /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Downloads/src/Curl/Curl.jl:88
  [3] #8
    @ /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Downloads/src/Downloads.jl:328 [inlined]
  [4] arg_write(f::Downloads.var"#8#17"{Base.DevNull, Nothing, Vector{Pair{String, String}}, Float64, Nothing, Bool, Nothing, Bool, String, Bool, Bool}, arg::IOStream)
    @ ArgTools /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/ArgTools/src/ArgTools.jl:134
  [5] #7
    @ /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Downloads/src/Downloads.jl:327 [inlined]
  [6] arg_read
    @ /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/ArgTools/src/ArgTools.jl:76 [inlined]
  [7] request(url::String; input::Nothing, output::IOStream, method::Nothing, headers::Vector{Pair{String, String}}, timeout::Float64, progress::Nothing, verbose::Bool, debug::Nothing, throw::Bool, downloader::Nothing)
    @ Downloads /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Downloads/src/Downloads.jl:326
  [8] #3
    @ /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Downloads/src/Downloads.jl:231 [inlined]
  [9] open(f::Downloads.var"#3#4"{Nothing, Vector{Pair{String, String}}, Float64, Nothing, Bool, Nothing, Nothing, String}, args::String; kwargs::Base.Pairs{Symbol, Bool, Tuple{Symbol, Symbol}, NamedTuple{(:write, :lock), Tuple{Bool, Bool}}})
    @ Base ./io.jl:384
 [10] #open_nolock#1
    @ /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/ArgTools/src/ArgTools.jl:35 [inlined]
 [11] arg_write(f::Function, arg::String)
    @ ArgTools /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/ArgTools/src/ArgTools.jl:103
 [12] #download#2
    @ /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Downloads/src/Downloads.jl:230 [inlined]
 [13] download
    @ /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Downloads/src/Downloads.jl:219 [inlined]
 [14] _install_conda(env::String, force::Bool)
    @ Conda ~/.julia/packages/Conda/x2UxR/src/Conda.jl:201
 [15] _install_conda(env::String)
    @ Conda ~/.julia/packages/Conda/x2UxR/src/Conda.jl:191
 [16] runconda(args::Cmd, env::String)
    @ Conda ~/.julia/packages/Conda/x2UxR/src/Conda.jl:126
 [17] add(pkg::String, env::String; channel::String)
    @ Conda ~/.julia/packages/Conda/x2UxR/src/Conda.jl:222
 [18] add (repeats 2 times)
    @ ~/.julia/packages/Conda/x2UxR/src/Conda.jl:220 [inlined]
 [19] top-level scope
    @ ~/.julia/packages/PyCall/ygXW2/deps/build.jl:79
 [20] include(fname::String)
    @ Base.MainInclude ./client.jl:476
 [21] top-level scope
    @ none:5
in expression starting at /Users/Latisp/.julia/packages/PyCall/ygXW2/deps/build.jl:43
Stacktrace:
  [1] pkgerror(msg::String)
    @ Pkg.Types /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Pkg/src/Types.jl:67
  [2] (::Pkg.Operations.var"#66#73"{Bool, Pkg.Types.Context, String, Pkg.Types.PackageSpec, String})()
    @ Pkg.Operations /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Pkg/src/Operations.jl:1060
  [3] withenv(::Pkg.Operations.var"#66#73"{Bool, Pkg.Types.Context, String, Pkg.Types.PackageSpec, String}, ::Pair{String, String}, ::Vararg{Pair{String}})
    @ Base ./env.jl:172
  [4] (::Pkg.Operations.var"#107#112"{String, Bool, Bool, Bool, Pkg.Operations.var"#66#73"{Bool, Pkg.Types.Context, String, Pkg.Types.PackageSpec, String}, Pkg.Types.PackageSpec})()
    @ Pkg.Operations /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Pkg/src/Operations.jl:1619
  [5] with_temp_env(fn::Pkg.Operations.var"#107#112"{String, Bool, Bool, Bool, Pkg.Operations.var"#66#73"{Bool, Pkg.Types.Context, String, Pkg.Types.PackageSpec, String}, Pkg.Types.PackageSpec}, temp_env::String)
    @ Pkg.Operations /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Pkg/src/Operations.jl:1493
  [6] (::Pkg.Operations.var"#105#110"{Dict{String, Any}, Bool, Bool, Bool, Pkg.Operations.var"#66#73"{Bool, Pkg.Types.Context, String, Pkg.Types.PackageSpec, String}, Pkg.Types.Context, Pkg.Types.PackageSpec, String, Pkg.Types.Project, String})(tmp::String)
    @ Pkg.Operations /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Pkg/src/Operations.jl:1582
  [7] mktempdir(fn::Pkg.Operations.var"#105#110"{Dict{String, Any}, Bool, Bool, Bool, Pkg.Operations.var"#66#73"{Bool, Pkg.Types.Context, String, Pkg.Types.PackageSpec, String}, Pkg.Types.Context, Pkg.Types.PackageSpec, String, Pkg.Types.Project, String}, parent::String; prefix::String)
    @ Base.Filesystem ./file.jl:764
  [8] mktempdir(fn::Function, parent::String) (repeats 2 times)
    @ Base.Filesystem ./file.jl:760
  [9] sandbox(fn::Function, ctx::Pkg.Types.Context, target::Pkg.Types.PackageSpec, target_path::String, sandbox_path::String, sandbox_project_override::Pkg.Types.Project; preferences::Dict{String, Any}, force_latest_compatible_version::Bool, allow_earlier_backwards_compatible_versions::Bool, allow_reresolve::Bool)
    @ Pkg.Operations /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Pkg/src/Operations.jl:1540
 [10] build_versions(ctx::Pkg.Types.Context, uuids::Set{Base.UUID}; verbose::Bool)
    @ Pkg.Operations /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Pkg/src/Operations.jl:1041
 [11] build(ctx::Pkg.Types.Context, uuids::Set{Base.UUID}, verbose::Bool)
    @ Pkg.Operations /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Pkg/src/Operations.jl:898
 [12] build(ctx::Pkg.Types.Context, pkgs::Vector{Pkg.Types.PackageSpec}; verbose::Bool, kwargs::Base.Pairs{Symbol, Base.TTY, Tuple{Symbol}, NamedTuple{(:io,), Tuple{Base.TTY}}})
    @ Pkg.API /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Pkg/src/API.jl:1024
 [13] build(pkgs::Vector{Pkg.Types.PackageSpec}; io::Base.TTY, kwargs::Base.Pairs{Symbol, Union{}, Tuple{}, NamedTuple{(), Tuple{}}})
    @ Pkg.API /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Pkg/src/API.jl:156
 [14] build(pkgs::Vector{Pkg.Types.PackageSpec})
    @ Pkg.API /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Pkg/src/API.jl:145
 [15] #build#99
    @ /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Pkg/src/API.jl:144 [inlined]
 [16] build
    @ /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Pkg/src/API.jl:144 [inlined]
 [17] #build#98
    @ /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Pkg/src/API.jl:143 [inlined]
 [18] build(pkg::String)
    @ Pkg.API /Applications/Julia-1.8.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.8/Pkg/src/API.jl:143
 [19] top-level scope
    @ REPL[7]:1

```

The issue is still present. I do not have Conda installed, so I was wondering that what caused it?

Thank you.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![digital\_carver](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/digital_carver/32/33818_2.png) [@digital\_carver](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/digital_carver)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2022, 6:43pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/cannot-use-plots-and-pyplot-on-my-old-mac/87369/2 "2022-09-16T18:43:51Z")

</div>

The core issue is

> [@guojing0](#):
>
> `SSL connection timeout while requesting https://github.com/...`

which indicates some kind of network issue. Are you able to access Github on your browser, for eg. [the repository mentioned in the error](https://github.com/conda-forge/miniforge/)?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![guojing0](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/guojing0/32/42608_2.png) [@guojing0](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/guojing0)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2022, 6:04am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/cannot-use-plots-and-pyplot-on-my-old-mac/87369/3 "2022-09-17T06:04:00Z")

</div>

Thank you for your advice. I solved this issue by using an proxy, however, there is this error when I want to run the code again (I have `matplotlib` installed on my machine):

```julia
ERROR: ArgumentError: hasproperty of NULL PyObject
Stacktrace:
 [1] pyhasproperty(o::PyCall.PyObject, s::String)
   @ PyCall ~/.julia/packages/PyCall/ygXW2/src/PyCall.jl:371
 [2] hasproperty
   @ ~/.julia/packages/PyCall/ygXW2/src/PyCall.jl:377 [inlined]
 [3] ioff(; kws::Base.Pairs{Symbol, Union{}, Tuple{}, NamedTuple{(), Tuple{}}})
   @ PyPlot ~/.julia/packages/PyPlot/NsAWt/src/PyPlot.jl:191
 [4] ioff()
   @ PyPlot ~/.julia/packages/PyPlot/NsAWt/src/PyPlot.jl:190
 [5] top-level scope
   @ ~/.julia/packages/Plots/FCUr0/src/backends.jl:684

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![digital\_carver](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/digital_carver/32/33818_2.png) [@digital\_carver](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/digital_carver)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2022, 10:35am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/cannot-use-plots-and-pyplot-on-my-old-mac/87369/4 "2022-09-17T10:35:36Z")

</div>

After using a proxy, I assume you ran a `Pkg.build("PyCall")` already. Could you also try running a `Pkg.precompile()` and then try the code? Since the precompilation of `PyPlot` got interrupted due to the `PyCall` error the last time.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![guojing0](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/guojing0/32/42608_2.png) [@guojing0](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/guojing0)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2022, 1:03pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/cannot-use-plots-and-pyplot-on-my-old-mac/87369/5 "2022-09-17T13:03:58Z")

</div>

Thank you. It works now!